De Havilland Mosquito
The spruce-and-balsa wooden Mosquito multi-role aircraft were designed as fast light bombers that could outrun pursuing hostile fighters; because of their light weight and high speed, they were also used as fighters when necessary. Although the original design was released in 1938, it was not until 1940 when the British Air Ministry took notice of the wooden aircraft. When the German airmen faced these aircraft, they were amazed by their speed and their ability to protect the airspace over Britain. What made them most envious was de Havilland's ability to construct a capable aircraft out of material as common as wood at a time when iron and steel was in great demand. The most numerous variant was the FB Mk.VI that served as a fighter-bomber, encouraged by the result of a Royal Air Force cost-benefit analysis: throughout the entire war, the Mosquito bombers enjoyed the lowest loss rate, while it dealt far greater damage to the Germans when compared to the larger and more expensive Lancaster bombers. During its service, 7,781 Mosquitos were built, with 6,710 of them during the war. A significant fraction of that number came from Commonwealth nations such as Canada and Australia. During the war, Mosquito bombers were responsible for dropping 35,000 tons of bombs at a loss of only 193 aircraft. FB Mk.VI First flown in 1942, the Mosquito FB Mk.VI fighter-bomber was intended for ‘intruder’ strike missions, and became the most numerous and widely-used Mosquito variant. Based on the F Mk.II day fighter version without Air Interception radar, it retained the formidable armament of four Browning 0.303 in machine-guns in the nose and four Hispano 20 mm canon in the belly. But it was also given a bomb-bay behind the cannon, which enabled it to carry two 500 lb bombs internally (with fins cropped to fit) plus another two under the wings. Since it operated primarily at low altitude, the FB.VI was unpressurised, and retained single-stage supercharged Merlin engines. Targets for 2TAF (Second Tactical Air Force) FB.VI Mosquitos included power stations, communications centres and V-weapon sites, but operations also included one-off special raids e.g. on Amiens jail and several Gestapo HQs. FB Mk.XVIII The RAF became interested in fitting the Molins Gun in the de Havilland Mosquito to form an airborne anti-tank weapon to replace the Hawker_Hurricane#Hurricane_Mk_IID which had been equipped with a pair of Vickers 40mm Class S guns. The aircraft was duly developed as the Mosquito FB Mk XVIII, popularly known as the "Tsetse", but by this time the RAF had lost interest in the anti-tank gun role so the aircraft were brought into service by Coastal Command for anti-ship (and specifically anti-U-boat) purposes. The Tsetse, of which about 30 were built, served with No.248 Squadron during 1944 and is credited with sinking a U-boat. Perhaps its most remarkable achievement occurred during an anti-shipping strike, when one Tsetse became involved in a melee with defending Luftwaffe aircraft. A Junkers 88 was careless enough to fly in front of a Tsetse, which promptly fired its big gun and demolished the Ju-88 with one shot! B Mk.IV On 21 June 1941 the Air Ministry ordered that the last 10 Mosquitoes, ordered as photo-reconnaissance aircraft, should be converted to bombers. These 10 aircraft were part of the original 1 March 1940 production order and became the B Mk IV Series 1. W4052 was to be the prototype and flew for the first time on 8 September 1941. The bomber prototype led to the B Mk IV, of which 273 were built: apart from the 10 Series 1s, all of the rest were built as Series 2s with extended nacelles, revised exhaust manifolds, with integrated flame dampers, and larger tailplanes. The B Mk IV entered service in May 1942 with 105 Squadron. Like its real compartnent, in FHSW Mosquito doesn't have any defensive armanent, but its high speed compensates this drawback, since it makes Mosquito difficult target for enemy antiaircraft artillery and allows it to escape from enemy fighters to home base for repairing and ammo replenishment. BF1942 2015-06-10 13-33-37-720.png BF1942 2015-06-10 13-33-47-495.png BF1942 2015-06-10 13-34-11-086.png BF1942 2015-06-10 13-34-16-588.png BF1942 2015-06-10 13-36-31-003.png BF1942 2015-06-10 13-36-04-737.png Category:British Equipment Category:Fighters and fighter bombers